31 October 2009

Compare Linux Hosting: Is The OS Important?

By Louis Meadowbank

There are many website creators who want to compare Linux hosting in order to see how it measures up with other operating systems. In the past, there were major differences between the Linux and Windows hosting platforms. Deciding on the operating system that you will use to host your site was a big factor in determining how the site would be designed. Now, in this period of cross-system web hosting, the differences in the operating systems are relatively small. As a result, the best Linux hosting and the best Windows hosting are nearly the same.

Yet, there are still some obvious differences among the operating systems. One of the more recognizable differences has to do with the way you are able to access the server. Linux and Windows offer FTP access to the files. However, only Linux provides users with telnet or ssh access. Probably, both creators did this with their intended audiences in mind. Windows is designed for a large number of lay people to operate with nominal programming knowledge, while Linux is geared toward those who are more comfortable programming computers.

Regardless, this is not a fundamental difference, since there is little to differentiate FTP from telnet or ssh practically. FTP lets you download the file locally, while telnet and ssh allow you to change the root file on the web server through UNIX commands.

The second difference between Linux and Windows hosting is that they support different programming languages. Linux is usually associated with PHP, Perl, and CGI, while Windows is associated with ColdFusion and ASP. The database languages are also dissimilar, with Windows users favoring Access while Linux users prefer MySQL.

In addition, Windows also writes pages in .htm format and Linux writes its web pages in .html. Ultimately, these differences are small, but they can make significant difference if you prefer a particular language. Attempting to modify Access files while you are using a computer operating system based on Linux can be an exercise in frustration for beginning programmers.

Linux hosting plans are different from the other OS hosting plans in a few other ways. For those concerned about security, most analysts believe that Windows is generally more unstable than other OS. Yet, Linux has vulnerabilities as well. However, Linux issues updates and patches more frequently because it is open source software. Windows also fixes their vulnerabilities. They issue service packs when they are needed. Most designers will turn to the system administrator to handle all of these technical concerns. Reliable administrators can work on any operating system.

In the end, you will make the decision that is best for your needs. If you choose Windows or Linux for example, you would do well to choose a Linux hosting plan or any other hosting plan based primarily on the features and services it provides. This is even more important because the differences between the OS are small. However, if you site demands one language or another, you should ensure that compatibility would not be a problem.

However, if you do not have specific requirements, then it is easier to let the system administrators decide whether you have the best Linux hosting plan or whether you should use Windows hosting, while you focus your energy on creating the best website possible. Instead of trying to compare Linux hosting with Windows, work on creating content as it is more important than the programming language or the OS of the web servers.

About the Author:

0 comments: